A Safer New York

Jason L. Riley

Jan. 8, 2013 2:33 p.m. ET

There has been a lot of discussion about New York City's record-low number of homicides in 2012, which is certainly reason to thank law enforcement. But black and Hispanic residents of the Big Apple should be especially thankful.

In a typical year, around 90% of murder victims in New York are black or Hispanic. In 2012, 60% were black, 27% Hispanic, 9% were white and 4% were Asian. In the 1990s, annual murder totals of 2,000-plus were...